The VelociBot 1000 can run faster than Usain Bolt.
A South Korean research team has developed a two-legged robot that can reach speeds up of to 46 km per hour (or about 28.5 mph). The robot’s inspiration?
The Velociraptor.
The team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) now has a bipedal machine, simply called “Raptor,” that mimics the dinosaur’s tail for stability, and uses carbon/epoxy composite legs for durability. The feet are reminiscent of running/walking blades used by amputees.
The Raptor is also one of the most simple running robots ever designed, with only one motor per leg, and an Achilles tendon system used to recover energy during motion.
The KAIST Raptor is nearly as fast as DARPA’s four-legged Cheetah robot, which can run at speeds up to 47 km/h. both are faster than the fastest (known) human, Usain Bolt, who has topped out at 43.92 km/h.
Source: IEEE Spectrum
